


The very first Conchell anniversary

by makerofaqueen



Series: Cotton candy [8]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Anniversary, Conchell, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, implied solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 11:30:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10385703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makerofaqueen/pseuds/makerofaqueen
Summary: What do you get the guy who can steal anything he wants for your anniversary?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Anon! Here's your fic. Sorry it took me so long, I had troubles with how to begin it. Hope I did it justice. There is some cursing and a couple of innuendos but otherwise it's totally child proof. 
> 
> Hi! Im not sure if youre still taking requests, but if you are could you possibly write a fic abt conchell spoiling and loving on eachother and both of them thinking they dont deserve it from the other and it ending in reaffirming and fluff and cuddles?? Sorry to send this in if ur not taking requests! And thanks for reading this (if you actually do lol) :)
> 
> Y’all need to know that I A L W A Y S take requests ;) And even if I maybe don’t answer everyone’s asks I try to, but I do get to work on the fics even if I don’t answer you. But seriously though, of course I’ll write it for you sweetness. The gears in my brain are already turning.

Mitchell felt like the shittiest boyfriend in the whole world. He only had one month until his and Connor’s one year anniversary and he had absolutely no idea what to give the boy. Okay, maybe a month would seem like a lot of time, but Mitchell liked to be prepared and knowing himself he should have done this weeks ago, wrapped it up and hidden it under his bed so he could just relax and be happy about himself.

Now, he and Nico had (unbeknownst to Will, of course) shadow traveled to New York trying to get some shopping done. Nico wanted something to Will for their anniversary which was only a few weeks away and who was a better help with loving gifts if not a son of Aphrodite? He was, he knew exactly what Nico could get Will, yet he had no idea what to get for Connor. ‘This sucks,’ he muttered under his breath while they were having lunch at a café on the street.

‘Wow, Mitch. That was almost a curse word. I am so proud of you.’

Mitchell glared at him. Or, he tried to, Nico didn’t seem fazed at all, but then again no one could out-glare the Ghost King.

‘What’s so hard about getting him a gift anyway?’

‘Because he’s a Hermes kid. He can get ahold of whatever he want. With rather dubious methods, sure, but he still can.’

Nico huffed. ‘This is Connor we’re talking about. He’d be thrilled if you just look at him the right way.’

Mitchell groaned and rested his forehead on the table. ‘Gods, I _so_ don’t deserve that boy.’

Nico laughed at him. ‘You’ll figure it out. Actually… you should do a Hermes on him.’

‘A what now?’

‘Remember Travis’ and Katie’s first Christmas together?’

‘Yeah?’

‘How he left her gifts every day from December first up until Christmas day?’

‘So your suggestion to my problem of what to get my boyfriend that I don’t know what to get is more things I don’t know what they’ll be?’

‘No, but you said it yourself. Connor can easily steal himself whatever he pleases, right? Okay, look, didn’t you give him audiobooks for Christmas?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘So, he loves it when his gifts are thought through. They don’t have to be expensive because he knows you put some effort into getting him something personal. Something for him, something that means something.’

Mitchell started smiling. ‘I think I know what you’re getting at, and I actually have an idea.’

 

\-----------------------------

 

Back at camp, after a few weeks of perfecting his plans, Mitchell found himself walking to the Athena cabin. He knocked and Malcolm came to open. Mitchell smiled his most charming smile at him. ‘Just the guy I wanted to see.’ Malcolm looked a little apprehensive but he let Mitchell in. Once inside, Mitchell perched himself on top of Malcolm’s desk. He dangled his feet and toyed with a pen. ‘Mal, I need a favor.’

Malcolm had sat himself down in his swivel desk chair. Now he leaned back and eyed Mitchell. ‘Should I be worried? You have a smile that says I should be worried. Connor is rubbing off on you.’

‘What? No! Do I, really?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Well, it’s nothing bad. I need to write a letter to Connor and I was kind of hoping you’d agree to proofread it when I’m done. And also help me draw a map.’

‘You do realize I’m dyslexic too?’

‘ _I know that_ , but yours is so much lighter than both mine and Connor’s and I thought… I just want him to be able to read it and I don’t think he will if I have to do it myself.’

Malcolm sighed. ‘…alright. I’ll help you with your letter. I have a dictionary we can use. And the map?’

‘I need a map of the camp grounds to copy.’

‘Can’t I just give you one of the maps I already have?’

‘…I’m gonna tear it to pieces.’

Malcolm looked like he was about to start crying. ‘You… you’re gonna…’

‘I’m going to make Connor a treasure map and he’s going to get it piece by piece up until the day of our anniversary. Then he’ll put the pieces together and find his treasure.’

‘…which will be…?’

Mitchell stretched his arms out in a ‘ta-daa’ gesture. Malcolm sighed. ‘Are you going to be naked?’

‘Why Mal? Want to join us? Actually I don’t think Connor will mind in the least if you do.’ Mitchell gave him a suggestive smile.

Malcolm blushed and stuttered but Mitchell just laughed at him. ‘N.. no I just want t.. to know where to avoid,’ he said when he composed himself.

Mitchell smirked. ‘I’ll come by tonight after dinner with a draft of the letter, okay?’

Malcolm sighed and pushed his glasses up to pinch the bridge of his nose. ‘Yeah. Do that.’

 

\---------------------------

 

‘So, what are _you_ doing for your anniversary?’ Cecil asked as he wrapped the gift for Tom he had snuck out of camp to get his hands on during the night. Remember Tom? The deeply shy and forever scarred Athena boy he had accidentally exposed to Connor and Mitchell’s sexual escapades last Fifth of July. ‘You know the rumor around camp is that Mitchell has the perfect gift for you.’

Connor huffed. He lay on his back in his bunk and fiddled with a selection of lock picks. ‘I’m gonna teach my boyfriend some useful Hermes traits.’

Cecil perked up, suddenly looking excited. ‘Yeah? How are you going to do that?’

‘I had Nyssa make this chest and I’m going to fill it with beauty products, yarn and candy and you know… His favorite things in general. But. There will be no key, or, the key will be in the box. There will, however, be this fine set of lock picks and a guide that Rachel helped me put together. I’ll place the chest beside his bed with a card and these babies and the only way he’ll get his present is if he manages to get the chest open. Or if it takes him months maybe I’ll help, but you know…’

‘The boy does like his yarn… So how are you going to sneak that huge-ass chest into the Aphrodite cabin without him noticing?’

‘Oh, Markowitz, as your brother I’m ashamed that you even have to ask me that question.’

 

\---------------------------

 

Incidentally, or in the turn of events that everyone totally expected, the same day that Connor snuck the ‘huge-ass’ chest into Mitchell’s cabin, Mitchell snuck a bouquet of red tulips into Connor’s. When he got back they were standing in a vase on his bedside table, complete with a card and everything. Connor looked around. Amalia was the only one in the cabin at the moment. She was chilling on the couch in the game room, playing Super Mario. He stuck his head in the room. ‘How did this get here?’

‘How did what get where, bro?’

Connor gestured rather unnecessary to the vase, since Amalia could not see through the wall, while he said: ‘There are flowers by my bed.’

‘I saw them. They were there when I got here.’

‘Much good you are,’ Connor muttered. Amalia flipped him off without taking her eyes off Mario for a second. Connor leaned in and snatched up the card. Out fell a letter, and when Connor unfolded it he could recognize Mitchell’s handwriting. He immediately realized his boyfriend had somehow had help because although it was Mitchell’s handwriting this was way too neatly written. He sat down next to Amalia on the couch.

‘Can you help me for a second? You’re so much better at this stuff.’

She paused the game and looked at him. ‘What?’

‘I… I got a letter.’

‘Okay.  Do you want to try by yourself or…?’

‘Yeah, just correct me if I get something wrong, okay? I have a feeling that this is important.’

She nodded. Connor read it out loud:

 

_Connor_

_This is going to sound really cheesy, but I love you so much it hurts. This past year together with you have been the best ever. I really wanted to find you the perfect gift for our anniversary but it was hard. Now, however, I have the perfect idea. I think._

_Every day up until the third of July you will get a little piece of a puzzle. On the third of July, lay that puzzle and at the time stated come dig for your treasure. Hint: the puzzle is a map. You will have seven pieces because it is seven days until then. Again, you’re the love of my life, you Stoll my heart._

_I love you,_

_Mitchell_

‘You Stoll my heart?’ Amalia giggled. ‘You _Stoll_ my heart? That in itself is the cheesiest fucking thing I’ve ever heard. Seriously?’

Connor blushed. ‘I thought it was kind of cute,’ he mumbled.

‘Course it was. He’s an Aphrodite boy. They have that trait perfected.’

‘What trait?’

‘Mushy romantics.’

‘You obviously haven’t met Castor.’

‘He’s the exception that proves the rule. Mitchell, however, is one of the worst.’

‘I love him,’ Connor muttered.

‘I know,’ Amalia said and patted him on the head.

‘But, this is like something I would do for him. This is a Hermes-thing.’

‘And you know how much he loves your Hermes-things. Maybe he wanted to return the favor?’

‘I so don’t deserve him.’

‘Of course you do. You’re the best boyfriend ever. Mitchell is lucky to have you. So he outsmarted you this once, big deal? He still doesn’t know how to pick a lock and when he finally gets it done, he’ll be so happy he’s going to spontaneously combust.’

‘That would not be a good thing. Do you even realize how much aerosol is in that cabin?’ Connor asked and pointed at her with the card. Amalia frowned.

‘The card says something, Con.’ She snatched it out of his hands and read it aloud: _Look up the meanings to the flowers, Con. They’re important. I love you._ She instantly had her phone in her hand and read: ‘Tulip: signifies a declaration of love. Aww Con.’

‘I guess just giving me roses was too easy for him.’

‘Of course it was. But this is so exiting. A treasure hunt!’

‘I know.’ Connor’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation. ‘I wonder what my treasure will be?’

 

\-------------------------------

 

Mitchell sure as frick _did not_ know how to pick a lock. While Amalia was helping Connor read the letter Mitchell was cross-legged on the floor by his bunk trying to make heads and tails of the tiny kit of lock picks that he had gotten as an anniversary present. Lacy and Castor were lying on their stomachs in his bunk, watching him. ‘He’s turning you into a perfect little Hermes boy, ain’t he?’ Castor said.

‘I’m never going to be a perfect Hermes boy. Connor would have this thing beat in seconds. It’s going to take me days, maybe weeks even.’

‘I sure hope there’s nothing alive in there,’ Lacey said offhandedly. ‘Like a kitten or something.’

‘Connor wouldn’t put a kitten in a locked box and expect me to save it,’ Mitchell said confidently but then he eyed the chest and his confidence wavered. He grabbed his phone and typed a text to Connor.

 

_Is there a critical time-limit on this thing? Lacey mentioned kittens and it got me worried._

**No living things in the chest. What do you take me for? Some kind of sadist? I would never harm an animal. A person, no doubt, but not an animal.**

_Sorry, dear._

**No worries. I love you.**

Castor laughed so hard he rolled off Mitchell’s bunk and onto the floor, wheezing. ‘You actually thought…?’

Mitchell did not help him when he started crying because he hit his head on the wooden planks. Lacy didn’t either. She just laughed harder. Castor cursed them both and went to lay down in his own bed.

Mitchell was looking at the little user’s guide in his hands. He recognized Rachel’s art style in the pictures. He attempted the first maneuver and it went quite well but then he was going to twist the lock pick and dropped it. This was going to be a slow going. ‘Lace, you’re nimble. Have any clue?’

‘As much as I would love to help you out here I don’t think Connor would approve and I’m not stupid enough to get on a Hermes kid’s bad side.’

‘You’re probably right. Well, I guess I know what I’ll be doing for the rest of the week,’ he said and went back to working on the box.

 

\---------------------------

 

The next day when Connor woke up his tulips had been joined by a vase of white amaryllises. He sat up and looked around but his siblings all looked to be asleep. How the fuck had Mitchell been able to sneak this in during the night? It would have been dark and he wouldn’t have been able to see a thing. How did he get through the booby traps by the door? Sure, Mitchell knew most of them by heart by now, but he must have had to materialize out of thin air. The only demigod they knew who could do that was Nico and Nico couldn’t touch flowers without them dying. Also, could flowers even survive shadow travel in itself? Connor wasn’t sure. He came to the conclusion that Mitchell had to have employed one of his siblings to help him with this and he would be damned if he couldn’t figure out who by the end of the week.

Connor reached out to the bouget and took the card. Taped to it was a new piece of his map-puzzle. He read the card quietly in his head:

_Good morning darling. Hope you have a great day. I love you._

_Mitchell_

_Ps. They’re amaryllises._

Connor huffed. He _knew that._ He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and typed the name in the google search. He read: Amaryllises: This flower is symbolic of _splendid beauty_ or _worth beyond beauty_. Connor blushed profusely and suddenly felt the need to hide his heating face under his cover, which he did.

He was actually kind of relieved that he didn’t have the opportunity to see Mitchell all day until the campfire when it was dark, because every time he thought about the flowers on his nightstand and what they meant he just _had_ to blush. Now, Connor was usually the most confident guy in the world, not to mention camp, but when it came to Mitchell praising him he became a stuttering, blushing mess.

That night, at the campfire, when Mitchell came to sit next to him and hold his hand, Connor couldn’t even look at his boyfriend without feeling his cheeks heat up. He could not for the life of him figure out what good deed he had done in a past life to deserve getting to date Mitchell in this life. _He thinks I’m beautiful._ He _actually thinks_ I’m _beautiful._ You see, up until the point where he started dating Mitchell, Connor had never been told, other than by his mother of course but that hardly counted, that he was beautiful or handsome or that his eyes were pretty or all the other compliments Mitchell showered him with. After dating almost a year Connor still didn’t know how to handle himself when Mitchell told him stuff like that.

 

\--------------------------

 

Connor knocked on the Athena cabin. When Annabeth let him in he flopped down onto his back in her bed. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’ He showed her the green carnation in his hand. ‘I went to the Demeter cabin but no one was there. You guys are smart, do you know?’

Over by his desk Tom blushed profusely. ‘M.. Mitchell gave y.. you that?’ he asked.

‘Yup. I’ve been getting flowers all week and apparently I will continue to do so up until our anniversary. He said I should look up the meanings of them but I can’t find any for this.’

‘What is it?’ Annabeth asked.

‘A carnation.’

Poor Tom took his glasses off and fanned his face so the color would go down a few notches before he said: ‘Th.. there’s no official source o.. on this that I know of, b.. but it’s said to represent ho.. ho.. homosexual love.’

‘Seriously?’ Connor perked up. ‘There’s a flower for that?’

‘W.. well, n.. not officially, b.. but back in the days, in Pa.. Paris, it’s said it was something gays wore t.. to let other gays know th.. their preferences. Oscar Wilde wore one.’

Annabeth had grabbed her laptop and now she read out loud: ‘The green carnation is something closely related to Oscar Wilde. He always wore one in his jacket. Some have said that Wilde was merely playing with his favorite idea that nature should imitate art since green carnations does not grow in the wild, they are, in fact, unnatural. However, did they embody something more, namely “unnatural” love. The claim have often been made that the green carnation was popular among “inverts” as gays were called at the time. Especially popular was the flower in Paris and Oscar Wilde could have easily brought the custom with him to London. Early sexologists tell us that green is definitely the “inverts” favorite color. Today, the green carnation clearly hints about homosexual love.’

‘So the dude practically wore a pride flag on his jacket in a time when homosexuality was against the fucking law?’ Connor asked. ‘That’s hardcore.’

Tom nodded. ‘He was hardcore.’

Annabeth grabbed a hairpin and pinned the flower to the messy curls behind Connor’s left ear. ‘There, now you’re just as hardcore.’

Connor laughed as he left the cabin. He found Mitchell by the archery range. Connor waited until he had let the arrow go before he called out: ‘Hey, beautiful!’

Mitchell turned around with a wide smile on his face. He slung his bow over his shoulder and went over to kiss his boyfriend, even throwing a little tongue in there. Connor hummed with appreciation. Mitchell gently touched the flower in Connor’s hair. ‘You look pretty today.’

‘Thank you. Annabeth did it.’

‘And where would you have gotten a green carnation?’

‘I dunno, Mitch. Someone keeps leaving me flowers in my cabin.’

‘You must have a secret admirer.’

‘Must have. Are you up for lunch?’

‘Definitely. Come on.’ Mitchell held out his hand for Connor to take as they walked to the dining pavilion.

 

\---------------------------------

 

Cecil stomped into the infirmary where Connor were sitting with his feet on the desk, keeping Will company during a slow day. He looked like he had been crying.

‘Hey dude, what’s wrong?’ Will asked.

‘Him and his fucking flowers everywhere,’ Cecil growled.

‘What?’ Connor looked at his brother with a furrowed brow as Cecil wiped his nose on a Kleenex.

‘There was a new bouquet in there when I woke up after my nap and you need to come get it out.’

‘Why?’

Cecil exploded. ‘Do you think I fucking look like this because it’s funny, Stoll? Go get your fucking flowers out of the cabin because I’ve been sneezing my brains out for an hour.’

‘You suffered through an hour long allergic reaction before you realized something wasn’t right?’ Will asked with a smile tugging at his lips.

‘Not my proudest moment,’ Cecil mumbled. ‘Actually I slept for two hours first and then I got distracted and was hyper focusing, okay? Please, Connor? I’m meeting Tom in like an hour so I have to get ready and I don’t want to look like this.’

‘I can give you something for that,’ Will said. He got up and went to the supply closet, grabbing a bottle of pills. He handed one to Cecil.

‘Thanks.’

‘Do you think one will be enough or do you need two?’

‘I dunno. I’ve never had any allergies. Just this one flower, apparently.’

‘Take one with you and if you feel like you don’t get any affect from the first one in half an hour take the other one.’

‘I’ll go,’ Connor said. ‘I’ll put the flowers outside.’

‘I’m coming with,’ Cecil said.

Connor found a giant bouquet of Birds of Paradise on his desk. The flowers were too many now and his nightstand was full. Cecil sneezed when Connor carried the bouquet past him and out onto their porch, then he grabbed the card before he opened some windows to clear the air for his poor brother. Connor sat down on his bunk and read from his phone to Cecil: ‘Birds of Paradise. Symbolizes joyfulness and magnificence.’

‘Yeah, I’m feeling joyful as fuck right about now,’ Cecil growled. Connor threw a pack of Kleenexes on him.

‘Gods, lay off the attitude. You look fine.’

 

\--------------------------

 

Mitchell was working hard on his lock when he got a text from his boyfriend.

 

_Cecil’s apparently allergic to Birds of Paradise. He did not find their symbolism nearly as funny as I did._

**Oh my Gods! Tell him I’m sorry? Is he okay though?**

_Yeah, he’ll be fine. Will gave him some pills and I took the flowers outside. He’s just grumpy because he looks like he’s been crying and he’s meeting his boy soon._

Mitchell facepalmed. Right now he was kind of happy that he was alone in his cabin. Poor Cecil. Although Mitchell hardly thought Tom was the shallow type who cared in the least how Cecil looked. He was usually so shy that he blushed if Cecil so much as looked in his general direction.

 

\------------------------

 

After the incident with poor Cecil and the Birds of Paradise Mitchell got a little apprehensive. The day after, instead of leaving the blue, pink and white Hyacinths he had gotten for Connor in his cabin he put them on the Hermes table in the dining pavilion. When they all came to have breakfast Connor smiled over at his boyfriend over the tables. Kayla, who had come to sit next to Amalia, said:

‘Oh, I know this one.’

‘You do?’ Connor asked.

‘Duh. Apollo-child. Hyacinthus, remember? Not one of dad’s proudest moments.’

‘Right.’

‘However, Hyacinths symbolizes playfulness. Blue ones stands for constancy, pink ones for play and white ones for loveliness.’

‘And how lovely was your father to Hyacinthus?’ Amalia smirked. Kayla pushed her off the bench. ‘Sorry, love!’ she laughed from the ground.

 

\-------------------------

 

Mitchell popped his head in the Hermes cabin. Travis was lounging on his bunk. He perked up when he saw the Aphrodite boy.

‘Is he here?’ Mitchell mouthed.

‘No, you’re in the clear. I just sent him off to take the kids to Arts and crafts. Had to fake a headache, but you know. Otherwise he would have stayed here. He’s determined to catch you at least once.’

‘Mhm. I only have one more flower to leave him after this. He better step up his game, then.’

‘You know he’s loving this, right?’ Travis said with a fond smile. ‘He doesn’t let people on, but he’s often kind of self-conscious, especially when it comes to you. You going through all this trouble for him makes him feel like maybe he’s worth it.’

‘He _is_ worth it,’ Mitchell said as he placed the Ranunculus’s on the windowsill next to Connor’s bed. All the flowers had started spilling out from Connor’s nightstand, onto his desk and now to the window. Just one more flower, Mitchell thought. He turned around to face Travis. ‘I didn’t know he felt that way.’

Travis looked up from the zip lock bags he was packing into a duffel bag. ‘He’s also self-conscious _about_ being self-conscious. Of course he doesn’t tell _you_ , you’re the source of his self-consciousness. As much as he loves you, he doesn’t really think that he deserves you, and he’s terrified that one day you’ll realize this too.’

Mitchell crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I wish you’d told me this sooner. I would have done something big like this a lot earlier.’

Travis shrugged. ‘I dunno, Mitch. Maybe I should have. Anywho, he’s ecstatic about tomorrow. What do you have planned?’

‘Nuh-uh. I’m not taking away Connor’s right to gush about this date to you afterwards. I just hope it’s enough, though.’

‘Knowing my brother, he’s happy if you just look at him the right way. What are those flowers?’

‘Ranunculus’s. They convey the message _you are radiant with charm_ or _you are attractive_. Both which apply to Connor,’ Mitchell said and blushed. ‘You know, I’ve always felt like he’s kind of too cool for me, and the way he keeps spoiling me... Now I find out he feels the same way.’

‘You’re both idiots,’ Travis concluded. ‘Now get out of here before he comes back and catches you red handed.’

 

\-------------------------

 

Connor was looking down at his finished puzzle. It was, indeed, a treasure map. A single snapdragon was lying next to it. _Graciousness and strength_ , Connor had looked up. It had been on his pillow when he came back after dinner.

The map read six o’clock, so he only had thirty minutes to get showered and changed, as well as trekking through the woods up to the secluded little beach Mitchell had pinpointed with a red cross. Connor had suspected as much. It was kind of their place, a place where they could usually be alone. They had stumbled upon it earlier that spring, when they were getting desperate for some alone time and seriously tired of people walking in on them. Sometimes Connor was a little jealous of the kids of the big three who had cabins all to themselves.

To get to their spot you had to walk through the woods for fifteen minutes and then repel yourself with a rope to get down to the sand. Connor and Mitchell had prepped the place with ropes and harnesses hidden in the cracks so they could always come there.

 

\-----------------------------

 

Mitchell was waiting anxiously by the fire he had built. He had music, he had multiple blankets for the cold and he had a fire. He also had drinks and snacks. All he didn’t have was Connor. What if he didn’t show up? Mitchell checked the time. Fifteen minutes past six. Where was he? Mitchell had never been stood up before, he wasn’t sure how long he should wait. Then, suddenly, he heard the clanking of the metal on the ropes from above and saw Connor climb over the edge and repel himself down. When his feet touched the sand Mitchell threw his arms around him and couldn’t quite hold in the sob. ‘Hey, what’s wrong sweetness?’ Connor asked into his neck.

‘I kinda thought you weren’t coming,’ Mitchell whispered.

Connor cupped his chin and looked him in the eyes. ‘Why wouldn’t I? I’m sorry I’m late sweetness but you didn’t give me a whole lot of time to get here. Don’t cry now or you’ll ruin your make-up.’

Mitchell sniffled. ‘Yeah, I know. Sorry. I’m just being stupid.’

Connor leaned in to kiss him and he felt Mitchell relax against him. When he pulled back he looked around. ‘You did all this for me?’

‘Yeah,’ Mitchell smiled now. ‘Come on.’ He grabbed Connor by the hand and pulled him with him to sit down on the blanket in the sand. Connor followed. When they sat down Mitchell looked down at the blanket and said: ‘I know this isn’t much, but you’re kind of hard to give gifts to. You know, when you can pretty much acquire everything you want real easily.’

Connor pulled Mitchell into his arms. He loved how Mitchell didn’t want to say steal, like it was a bad word. Knowing Mitchell, for him it probably was. ‘This is amazing. I can’t believe you went through all this trouble for my sake. All the flowers and the letter and the map… and this. How did you even get everything down here?

‘Travis loaned me his magical Hermes backpack,’ Mitchell said. I only had to make one trip.

‘So he’s the one who’s been helping you?’

‘He helped me twice, Alice helped me once while Julia kept you occupied and Amalia another time. Nico helped me once, too. I was meant to ask Cecil as well but after the Birds of Paradise incident I didn’t think he’d be inclined to.’

‘No, he’s had enough of flowers for a while, I think. He actually snapped at Tom this morning because Annabeth had put a daffodil behind his ear. Tom started crying and Cecil felt so bad he wanted to die.’

‘And now _I_ feel bad.’

‘Look at it from the bright side, Cecil is now aware he has an allergy and he’s got a reason to spoil the shits out of Tom to make it up to him. Although I must say the boy is kinda sensitive.’

‘That’s just a reason to be gentle with him,’ Mitchell said. ‘And why wouldn’t I do this for you?’

Connor looked away. ‘I dunno… I just…’ Connor was a loss for words. He just shrugged because he didn’t know what to say.

‘Hey, come here,’ Mitchell said and pecked him on the cheek. Connor turned to look at him. ‘I love you. You’re definitely worth the work.’

Connor blushed and looked down on his hands. Mitchell leaned his head on Connor’s shoulder and suddenly Connor realized something. ‘You’re wearing the perfume I put in the chest. Did you actually get it open?’

Mitchell smiled and straightened up, clearly proud of himself. ‘I did! Last night. I absolutely loved everything in there. Especially the key.’

Connor laughed. ‘I figured you probably didn’t want to pick the chest lock open every time you want something that’s in there. I’m glad you liked it. I kinda took a gamble on a few items. And I remember hearing complaints about your siblings using your stuff. Now you can lock it up.’

‘You’re the best, Con.’

Mitchell pulled Connor down with him so they were lying on the blanket, watching the sky turn pale and then dark as the stars started to appear. Every now and then one of them got up to feed the fire, but otherwise they were just content about cuddling up in each other’s arms. Neither of them could believe they got to be this lucky.


End file.
